Ireland outplayed in Hungary stalemate
Reuters - Monday 04 June 2012, 21:57
Ireland were outplayed by
Hungary in a Euro 2012 warm-up on Monday, escaping from Budapest
with a 0-0 draw but given a glimpse of the tough task ahead in a
group with the more clinical trio of Spain, Italy and Croatia.
The draw in drenched conditions means Ireland extended their
unbeaten run to 14 games - 11 achieved without conceding a goal
- and Giovanni Trapattoni's men head for their opening game
against Croatia next weekend with a clean bill of health.
"We were a little bit lucky, because in the first half we
could have gone 2-0 down but Shay Given was terrific,"
Ireland coach Giovanni Trapattoni told a news conference.
"Our opponents deserved to go ahead, and at the end we could
have lost 3-0. Hungary are quite a strong team, with good
youngsters, playing some nice football.
Ireland started with the first choice XI that Trapattoni
hopes to field in their first Group C game in Poznan on Sunday
although goalkeeper Shay Given, who has been troubled by a knee
injury, was replaced at half-time by Keiren Westwood.
The match, which started 20 minutes late because of heavy
rain and constant lightning in the capital, saw the visitors
create the first chance when their captain Robbie Keane forced
Hungary goalkeeper Adam Bogdan into action in the 14th.
However, the impressive young home side quickly began to
dominate and a fit-again Given had to make a smart save from a
deflected Balazs Dzsudzsak shot moments later and stopped the
Dynamo Moscow midfielder again after 24 minutes.
Adam Szalai was next to have a go and failed to take full
advantage when a Sean St Ledger slip left him one-on-one with
Given, although the striker would have made amends just before
the break but for a brilliant sliding tackle by Stephen Ward.
UNDER PRESSURE
The pressure on Ireland continued in the second half at
Ferenc Puskas Stadium and Szalai had two further chances from
close range after 53 and 54 minutes, his first blocked by St
Ledger and the second stopped by a fine save from Westwood.
Fellow Irish substitute Jonathan Walters offered some
respite with a stinging effort from a tight angle on the hour
which was parried by Bogdan but the big forward somehow missed
the target with a free header 20 minutes later.
Hungary remained dangerous on the break and finally beat
Westwood after 84 minutes but Stephen Hunt was on hand to wallop
substitute Imre Szabics's effort off the line.
The home side, who missed out on a place in Poland and
Ukraine but won as many qualifiers as Ireland including a
victory over Sweden, showed their intent to go one better when
the World Cup comes around having done everything but score.
"I knew it was not going to be an easy game, but I did not
want to change our system for one match," said Trapattoni.
"Against opponents who play with one striker we have
difficulties. We will talk the problems over.
"Croatia's style is a bit different, against them, maybe we
need one more midfielder," he added.